The arrival of Stefan Maierhofer at Molineux means that Delia Smith is no longer the only person in the game to have quit cooking for football.

 

Wolves' new Austrian striker - who notched a consolation goal on his debut after coming off the bench in Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Blackburn - worked in his parents' restaurant back home up until five years ago.

 

And now he's in the Barclays Premier League!

 

A somewhat incredible journey, but one the affable Austrian who already has a decent command of English appears to have taken comfortably in his stride.

 

"Five years ago I was back home staying with my family and working in a restaurant and now I'm in the Premier League - it's a dream come true," the 27-year-old admits.

 

"My heart led me to football - it became clear that maybe I had a talent and it just took off from there.

 

"As a chef I worked for 14-16 hours a day and now I'm playing professional football and in the Premier League which is incredible.

 

"Cooking is still a hobby.

 

"When I get into my apartment here and have a nice kitchen I will be cooking every day.

 

"I can chill and relax, stay in the kitchen, listen to music and it is good for me and my personality.

 

"I think it is good when I am alone and I can cook for me. That is important."

 

What could also prove important was the fact that Stefan got off the mark so quickly in terms of finding the net.

 

His Premier League debut, all 45 minutes of it as a second half substitute at Ewood Park, produced that first late predatory finish.

 

 

A good starting point, but as a team player he admits it was more than overshadowed by the overall result.

 

"It's good for a striker to score but we lost the game which obviously wasn't good," he admits.

 

"Hopefully we will play better against Fulham on Sunday.

 

"I had a good chance straightaway when I came on with a good shot from 25 yards and the midway through the half with a header.

 

"For me as a striker it is good when I score.

 

"But we lost and have no points in the bag, so that's a problem.

 

"It is better when we don't score and we win, or if we make one point.

 

"Playing at home this Sunday it is a new game and a new chance."

 

Stefan is certainly relishing the chance to ply his trade in English football's top flight, in particular the special atmospheres generated at the stadia, and has vowed to give it everything he can.

 

"It is a good league, good fans and good stadiums," he says.

 

"It is a very good atmosphere and I like that.

 

"In Austria in the biggest stadium we have 25,000.

 

"The most fans that come to Rapid Vienna is 17,500 and it is full.

 

"So for the first game (Blackburn) the atmosphere was good. I like it.

 

"It's positive for me to have played in the Premier League and I will be giving my best every game for the club and the fans."

 

Finally then, what are the specialities for Chef Maierhofer, who has already visited an Italian restaurant in Wolverhampton to sample a risotto.

 

"I like Italian food, salad, fish and in Austria we eat many sweet things," he says.

 

"I bake a little bit... Kaiserschmarrn, which is like a pancake.

 

"Although none of the other players have asked me to cook anything yet - I'm not sure that they know about it!"

 

* Stefan's first TV interview as a Wolves player can now be viewed by subscribers of Wolves Player.

 

* Tickets are still available for the home game with Fulham, on Sunday September 20 (2pm) which is NOT being shown live on television. This is the first of the season's Wolves 4 Family Football fixtures.